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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24185443">Staycation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higgles123/pseuds/Higgles123'>Higgles123</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Peaky Blinders (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, Coronavirus, F/M, Fluff, Romance, romantic alfie is something we all need in life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:55:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,768</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24185443</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higgles123/pseuds/Higgles123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Clare is finding the lockdown hard, so Alfie comes to the rescue!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alfie Solomons/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Staycation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">Lockdown was a necessity; Clare knew this along with the rest of the world. Almost seven long weeks. Forty five days. At first it had all seemed like an adventure; a chance to stay at home and watch everything on the Netflix list and to take up that new hobby she had been promising herself to begin for years . But then the days passed and the deaths rose; the shops were running low on basic things like toilet roll and pasta. It was like something from a movie; the sort of situation a person never imagines would happen in their lifetime. As the days turned into weeks, Clare found her mood plummeting. The weather outside was beautiful, the sun shining as though Mother Nature was showing her approval of the fact that her earth was finally being given the chance to rest and rejuvenate itself from human pollution, but it was a stark contrast to the way Clare felt.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">She woke up on the morning of day forty six and wanted to cry. Today should have been the most special day of her life; the day she married her soulmate and best friend. Everything had been planned down to the last detail; of course it had with Alfie because he was a literal bridezilla. In four hours time from now, she should have been walking down the aisle towards her future as Mrs Solomons but instead she was faced with yet another day of just watching Netflix and staring at the same four walls. She rolled over, hoping to see Alfie fast asleep beside her; his hair all mussed up from sleep and his forehead pinched in that she frown she found unbelievably endearing, but he wasn’t there. In fact the bed was cold, meaning he had been gone for some time. She frowned to herself. It’s not like he could have gone very bloody far to be fair. With a yawn she sat up and that was when she noticed the letter at the end of the bed with a single red rose.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">
    <em>Love,</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp3"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">
    <em>I know today was meant to be our wedding day and I’m just as pissed off as you that it’s not happening. Oh fuck, I wrote ‘pissed’ and now ‘fuck’ when I promised myself I wouldn’t swear because this is meant to be dead romantic and nothing kills the mood like swearing, does it? Well, except for when we’re actually at it and then we can swear as much as we want cos we’re enjoying ourselves, eh? Anyway, I’m going off topic, aren’t I?</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp3"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">
    <em>So, I wish with all my heart that today was the day we became man and wife, just as I wish tonight we were jetting off on our honeymoon. Anyway, seeing as we can’t go to Greece, I’ve brought Greece to us. So get your holiday clothes on and meet me in the kitchen. Don’t forget your passport! (Well, alright, you don’t really need your passport but it’s all part of the fun, aint it?).</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp3"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">
    <em>Love you,</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">
    <em>Alfie</em>
  </span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp3"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">Clare blinked and re read the letter, just to clarify that she hadn’t imagined it. But no, there was Alfie’s messy scrawl just as she had first seen. She swung out of bed and headed down the hallway to the kitchen.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“What the fuck are you wearin’?” Alfie pulled a face when he saw her approach in her pyjamas and her hair half tumbling out of the bun she had worn to bed the night before. “I told you to get your holiday clothes on.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Well, I tell you to pick up your socks and stop leaving cups in the bedroom but you never listen,” Clare retorted. “What on earth is going on, Alf? I read your letter and I don’t know whether or not be concerned that you’ve completely lost your mind.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Aint nothin’ wrong with my noggin’, love,” Alfie grinned, tapping his head. “But my temper is another thing altogether. So do us both a favour and get dressed, yeah?”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">Clare knew Alfie would never lose his temper with her, let alone do anything else but she went to wash and dress regardless. In all truthfulness, she was rather intrigued and eager to see just what her fiancé had planned.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Good girl,” he nodded happily when she returned ten minutes later, feeling and looking fresh as a daisy and holiday ready. “Right, sit down and I’ll bring your breakfast over.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“You’ve cooked?” she teased, pulling up a chair.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Course I fuckin’ well have,” he tutted. “I’m a right good cook me, aint I? Ok, so I weren’t too sure what exactly the Greeks eat for breakfast but I reckon I couldn’t go wrong with a bit of feta cheese and some olives.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“For breakfast?” Clare frowned.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Yeah. Greeks love the stuff, don’t they?” Alfie didn’t see the problem. “And here’s some freshly squeezed orange juice; although it weren’t squeezed by me, it was done by those lovely people at the Tropicana factory. Here’s a bit of that Greek yoghurt with honey, although don’t ask me what makes it Greek cos I don’t fuckin’ know. Seems no different to normal yoghurt to me, apart from it’s a bit thicker but whatever. Fuckin’ Greeks claim they invented everythin’ to be fair, don’t they? And then here’s some of that balaklava stuff what you like because that’s Greek as well, aint it?”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Baklava,” she corrected him with a fond smile. “This really is very sweet of you, Alfie.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“This is nothin’,” he answered after shoving a whole piece of baklava into his mouth. “After breakfast we’re goin’ out sightseein’.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“You what?”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Just eat your breakfast up and I’ll explain all on the way.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">One thing about having a dog was that it gave Clare and Alfie a very valid reason to go out of the house every day for fresh air and exercise. Of course they wore their masks and kept two metres apart from any strangers they happened to cross, but it still felt wonderful to get out of the house for even a short time.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Right, so first thing we’re gonna be goin’ to see is the Acropolis,” Alfie declared. “I know you was really lookin’ forward to seein’ that the most. So, accordin’ to google maps it’s just up this way.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">Clare was positively certain at this point that Alfie had most definitely lost his mind, but she was so happy to be outside that she followed him up the road and down the next street.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“There it is, right over there,” Alfie pointed suddenly to a house across the road when they were halfway up the street. “Cor, fuckin’ huge innit.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">Clare followed the direction of his hand and gasped. The huge window of the convenience store where Alfie was pointing no longer bore pictures of ripe strawberries and freshly baked bread. Instead, they had been replaced with a huge image of the Acropolis complete with the Parthenon sat atop it.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“What the…” Clare turned to Alfie and didn’t know what to say.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Fuckin’ stunnin’, aint it?” Alfie smiled. “Them Greeks sure know how to build summit what will last forever, eh? What do you think, love?”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Alfie…” she breathed, tears welling up when she realised he had somehow orchestrated this.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Anyway, we’ve only half an hour or so until we’d better get back home so we need to get movin’ on if we wanna see everythin’ else.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“You mean there’s more?”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Course there is you muppet,” Alfie tutted. “Now come on cos we aint got all day.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">Clare felt as though she was in a dream as Alfie led her around the next two blocks. A number of houses and shops were decorated with large pictures depicting various places she had wanted to visit while they were in Athens; Syntagma Square, Plaka, Acropolis Museum, Panathaneic Stadium, the ancient agora, the Roman agora. She could do nothing but let Alfie lead her and talk about the numerous sights while she tried to figure out how on earth he had managed to put all of this into place- and in the middle of a lockdown no less!</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">When they finally arrived back home a while later, Clare felt like she was on cloud nine. She felt like the luckiest person in the world to be loved by someone as wonderful as her Alfie. That big, scary looking man who was actually just a giant teddy bear, and he was all hers.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“That was wonderful, Alfie,” Clare smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling into him for a hug.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“It was nothin’,” he shrugged. “I just knew you were sad what with everythin’ goin’ on and I wanted to try and cheer you up.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“You did,” Clare lifted her head to kiss him. “You really did. And I can’t wait for all of this to be over so I can become your wife. I don’t care how we do it, only <em>that</em> we do it.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Me too, love,” Alfie smiled, his blue eyes twinkling happily. “But until then, we’ll just have to enjoy the rest of our lockdown on the beach, won’t we?”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“On the beach?” Clare frowned.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Yeah, well we can’t go to Greece and not visit at least one beach. They’re fuckin’ gorgeous from what I’ve heard and what better way for two people in love to relax, eh?”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">Alfie pulled open the door to the balcony and Clare shook her head with a grin when she saw that the entire balcony floor was covered in sand. There were even two sun loungers and a parasol out there as well.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Only thing I couldn’t get out here was the sea,” Alfie wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck. “But I did manage to get hold of a little paddlin’ pool so we can always pretend.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">Claire laughed. Really laughed; a loud belly laugh that suddenly turned into tears.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“What you cryin’ for?” Alfie frowned at her in concern. “You’re not meant to be cryin’, you’re meant to be happy.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Oh Alfie,” Clare turned to face him, wiping at the tears rolling down her cheeks. “I’m crying <em>because</em> I’m happy. I’m so unbelievably happy.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“You soppy mare,” Alfie grinned. “Now dry those tears, cherub, cos there’s a tube of suncream out there with your name on it, and like any decent husband to be I’m more than prepared to rub it into the areas you can’t quite reach.”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Pervert,” you snorted.</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“Not my fault you’re fuckin’ beautiful,” he smirked. “And I bloody love you, don’t I?”</span>
</p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp2"> </p>
<p class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efp1">
  <span class="yiv0231699799ydpf5c2b1efs1">“I love you too, Alfie. I really do.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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